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I wear all sorts of shapewear but my very favorite item is my Rago firm shapewear girdle. It's a waist cincher. It's probably way TMI but as I close those hook and eye closures my nasty tummy skin just folds up and hides away. It accentuates my natural hourglass shape and literally pulls in inches of skin. I have it in nude and it's virtually undetectable under clothing (I can't wear something knit that is skin tight without a cami over the top, though). It goes from just under my bra all the way to the top of my hips. Best of all? It was less than forty dollars. I love their vintage inspired lingerie and shapewear and this is now my favorite brand to shop. I also wear the camisoles, waist cinchers and corsettes by Flexees. I do not like Spanx for anything but pantyhose. My personal experience is that they cost more but don't work as effectively and they just aren't as comfortable. I can't wear any of the thigh shapers because my thigh skin is so soft that no matter how long the shorts are I have an obvious bump. I do LOVE the maidenform footless tights I just got - they suck in my thighs a lot and feel great under dress pants. I'm always looking for a bra with a nice band that won't make lumpy back fat - and I've found that the Incredible bra by Victoria's secret works quite well. It's not a control top bra but the wider band moves with you and doesn't make lumpy spots under your clothes. ~Cheri

How exciting!! I hope you have a great experience and a smooth recovery. ~Cheri

Yeah, I'd hang at one weight for more than six months before considering surgery. I say this because I thought I had hit my max a few months ago but after a long plateau/stall, shed another 20 pounds or so. Had I opted for plastics earlier who knows what that 20 pounds might have done to my results? I'm at goal now and considering plastics sometime in the next 18-24 months. Partly due to my geographic limitations (I'm stuck overseas until at least next April) but partly because I want to be totally sure I'm not going to lose any more weight or redistribute weight before I have work done. In some respects it's a hassle to wait - I HATE the shapewear I'm required to wear to look normal. However, it's better to be patient and have the best possible result after shelling out mega bucks for plastic surgery! ~Cheri

I'm not a vegetarian (currently) but spent a number of years as one. Then I got to my remote location here and couldn't find meat so I went back to a vegetarian diet for a while. As it is, I might eat meat once or twice a week. I'm no vegetarian, but I certainly eat a lot of vegetarian meals! I was never able to shake dairy until I got hit by lactose intolerance post op. Doesn't that just figure? I still love cheese but usually only have what I can make myself (simple farmer's cheeses, mozzarella, ricotta, etc.) so my intake is drastically reduced. I try to avoid Pasta, but I make syrniki as a dairy meal - basically it's a cheese pancake made from sweetened farmer's cheese and raisins. I also eat Beans with melted mozzarella on them, and I mix cheese into salads for that tiny Protein (and flavor) boost. I eat a lot of soy products but living in Central Asia means my access to those convenience foods is very limited. For the most part, if I can't make it myself I can't eat it. I make my own soy milk and drink some every day. I make the soy milk into yogurt, too, which I can then use for eating but also for sauces like tzatziki. I make lentil Soup and even lentil salads. I find myself eating tofu pretty frequently (prepared any number of ways), but I also make seitan and occasionally use TVP to make things like chili, sloppy joes or burgers. I use beans in almost everything and I make a big batch of hummus for Snacks and sandwiches. I even make uncheeses - there are a few of them I find tasty enough to eat even now that I eat cheese and meat when I want. I make curries, I make dal, I even try to make simple Soups and boost the protein in them by adding unflavored protein power (Integrated supplements brand works best, IMO). If you ask me, one of the best foods you can eat post VSG is seitan, assuming you like the taste. I make a big batch of "meatballs" from seitan and eating two of them will fill me up and give me 18 grams of protein. I was able to order a bunch of Fantastic Foods vegetarian meals for when I want to eat something in a hurry and they're tasty, even if they're not as healthy as something I could make myself. In any case, you probably have dozens more options than I do! I'm sure that if you get bored you can find some new recipes or ideas online. Hopefully someone else will chime in here with other ideas, too. When I think of it I get envious of the huge variety of prepared vegetarian meals available stateside. Everything I do here is certainly healthier because it's made from scratch but it's also very time consuming. ~Cheri

Yes, for most people hunger post op is totally different. I used to eat a huge meal of Pasta, breadsticks and salad, completely stuffing myself. Then I'd come home and within two hours I'd have my head in the fridge again because my stomach was growling! I'd drop off of every diet plan (WW, Nutrisystem, MediFast) because the around the clock feeling that I was starving got to be too much. Post op, eating was a real struggle for several months. It took me months to reach my nutritional goals every day. And now, 18 months out, I can have a day where I feel like all I did was eat the whole day long...only to find that once I've tracked my calories I've had less than 900 calories for the entire day. I never really get hungry anymore. Most people don't, so the odds are in your favor. And if you do have to battle the hunger? At least you'll be doing it with only 15% of your stomach, with the ability to just binge on foods all day gone. Best of luck with your upcoming surgery. I think your fears are normal. Even post op I had days where I wondered if I'd be the first person to totally fail the sleeve. We all worry, but we all lose the weight, too. ~Cheri

I'm at goal (finally!) and have totally emptied my closet three times. More than once I bought ahead in a size and wound up giving away or donating clothing items that still had tags on them! It's gotten to the point that when I buy new clothes I leave the tags until I'm ready to wash and wear them. I didn't get to revamp my wardrobe at 1 month, however. I think it took me about two months to lose enough weight that I had to invest in new clothes, and it wasn't really until 50 pounds off that I needed to invest in my first new wardrobe. I just did what I think will be my last wardrobe purchase. I spent a small fortune but I now have a closet full of clothes I can wear right now - there isn't a single item in there too small or too big. And the good news is that I'm pretty sure that these clothes will still fit me in a year, or two years, provided I can keep my husband away from my laundry. But I had to buy EVERYTHING - underthings, socks, shoes, clothes, a jacket, etc. because nothing I had still fit me. And to answer your question? I have given away six tall kitchen garbage bags full of clothes and I still have six large Rubbermaid totes of clothing in my basement waiting for a new home. I also had to give away four jackets and about forty pairs of shoes (I lost a shoe size, too). I went from a size 20/XXL to a 6/S had clothes for every size in between. I promise there have been some very happy people in my life, because most of those clothes were only worn for a month or two before they got too big! ~Cheri

I love that I wear a small or 4/6, sure, because I know darn well I was never that small even when I weighed fifteen pounds less than I do now! That said, I live overseas and order my clothes online. Vanity sizing is a PAIN. Mail can take 6 weeks each way and often I'm out of the window to return an item by the time it gets to me. Luckily, a lot of stores accommodate me and at least offer a store credit, but yes, it's a pain. Nowadays I get out my trusty measuring tape. I check the online size charts for each store before I shop and almost everything fits. In some stores I wear a medium instead of a small, but if I rely on their sizing charts I usually do pretty well. I do see one issue, though, and that is if I'm a small already what on earth comes after plastic surgery? XS? I can start to see the validity of some very thin women complaining that vanity sizing has sized them out completely! OH! And I am CONVINCED that bras are vanity sized, as well. Honestly! I was a 40DDD/E and despite the fact that my bosom is nothing near it's former grandeur I'm still a 32/34D...that's just crazy talk! ~Cheri

Congrats! It's a huge milestone to step out of the 200s and you should be proud of yourself. I'm sure that you'll be able to reach your fourth goal with more hard work and determination. Best of luck, ~Cheri

Could it possibly be the onset of the flu? It's that time of year. I'm concerned because this doesn't sound normal to me. If you're not dehydrated there might be a problem. If you're still battling this in 24 hours I'd make a call to the nurse for sure. I'd rather waste their time than have a major issue! I hope you get to feeling better soon. And don't ever feel like you shouldn't call your nurse for help - you had a major surgery done and if you have a question they are there to ease your mind. ~Cheri P.S. No only do we have the same name, but our starting stats/goal are pretty close! I'm 5'1" and started at 242, with goal at 135 pounds. You're going to do great!

Yep, it's a consistency thing, not an ingredient thing. Blend it up until it's totally smooth and enjoy! ~Cheri

You're doing a great job! Those first several weeks can be a real struggle, but from here on out it just gets easier every day. Before you know it you'll realize that you can't really remember life without the sleeve! Great work so far. Don't get too discouraged by the bumps in the road. It's a long journey but SO worth the time and effort. ~Cheri

Diets are great for losing about 30-40 pounds. They are not something most people can maintain long term with great success. Furthermore, the regain rate is ridiculous - if counting calories worked for everyone long term we'd all join Weight Watchers and be skinny. It doesn't work for everyone and nobody would need a lifelong membership if it worked forever. Now, on the one hand, I applaud the diligence and effort put forth by folks that do lose the weight "the old fashioned way." But I also know that I never in a million years would have shed 107 pounds if I hadn't had my VSG a year and a half ago. The sleeve will make sticking to any diet you choose much easier. Most people don't feel hunger after surgery - I'm 18 months out and still not hungry! It will force you to stop eating if you try to eat too much. The days of finding comfort in food will be gone. That said, the sleeve will not MAKE you choose to put the right foods in your mouth. In fact, the sleeve will probably put you in Bizarro World - eating, something you probably enjoy a lot right now, will become a hated chore! I bet you can't imagine that, can you? But for the first several months it will take effort and diligence on your part to meet your nutritional requirements, all while you have absolutely no desire to eat. I can't speak for you but I can share my experience. I'm a dieting veteran - I'd been trying to shed the weight since age twelve. I don't lack willpower and gave every diet at least a four month shot before finally quitting. I know that I would not be at goal weight without my sleeve. There is no way I could have done this on my own. I might have shed forty or fifty pounds, but I never would have found myself sitting pretty at goal weight. It didn't take me nine months to get to goal, it took me seventeen. I never in a million years could have worked any diet - not Weight Watchers, not Nutrisystem and not that awful MediFast, either - for the seventeen months it took to get to goal. That said, not everyone loses 100% of the hunger and some people really struggle to battle their food demons post op. I am not the greatest role model here - I eat like a normal person. I only restricted my carbs a bit in the beginning, I hardly exercise and I eat twice as many calories as some of the people on here. I say choose the sleeve if you want to lose the weight AND the diet mentality at the same time. Because again, while I'm not the best role model, I did it - slowly but surely. I'm a NORMAL person now, with no more food baggage or issues and a normal body weight. Think on it a bit more before you decide. I researched for better than a year before having my surgery. Best of luck to you whatever you choose. I believe that while the sleeve isn't a magical solution, it's damn near close in my book. ~Cheri

Yes, this is a long-haul journey and keeping positive is the very best thing you can do for yourself. You will not recover overnight, you will not lose the weight overnight, and you will not feel like an entirely new person overnight. But if you keep the right mindset as much as you can (we all slip into negativity after a rough patch now and again) you'll have a successful journey and come out the other side a totally changed person, inside and out. Best of luck to you - your surgery date is just around the corner! ~Cheri

Prayers and positive thoughts - I hope you make it through this with minimal difficulty. ~Cheri

Great work, can't wait to see how you look in just a few more months! You're definitely making progress. ~Cheri

Are you diabetic? I know it sounds crazy but I was diagnosed as an insulin resistant diabetic and what you're describing sounds exactly like how I felt prior to my surgery, before my diabetes went away. I'm still insulin resistant, though, and if I eat a certain quantity of starchy carbs I will feel hungry within a short time after my meal - not just "feeling" hungry but actual stomach growling and a nagging feeling that I must eat. From what I've read, this is the insulin resistance at work. This is the ONLY time I ever feel actual hunger post op, so I have to stick to a diet that keeps this away. I use The Insulin-Resistance Diet by Cheryle Hart, and despite the fact that I was highly skeptical of food combining diets in the past, it seems to work for me. When you see your doc next month make sure your acid reducer is enough. You may be one of the unlucky few that needs a higher dose for a longer period of time. And snack ideas that fill me up between meals are pieces of Jerky, Protein bars (I can only eat 1/3 at a time), hardboiled eggs (I keep a bowl in the fridge at all times) and soy crisps. I figure if I'm going to snack, I should at least be getting some protein at the same time! You can also try making your Protein shakes thicker - I double up the protein in mine and blend them with ice if I need something more filling. Also, making your morning shake one with coffee (assuming you partake) will help control your appetite, too. Good luck. Please post if you discover something at the doctor to help this as I'm sure others would benefit. ~Cheri

Yes, if you didn't have much to lose that could be a huge part of the problem. I hit tough spots, or "happy weights" twice and hung there for weeks and weeks both times. Once I hit 190 and once I hit 160 it took forever to move past those points! My body was so happy at these weights that it didn't seem to matter what I did to jump start things it didn't work. And once I was within 20 pounds of goal it took another SIX months to get there. The less your body has to lose the more stubborn it gets about letting the weight go. I had two months during that time where I lost one or two pounds. I went weeks and weeks weighing the same thing only to have a big drop of 5 pounds out of the blue. Be patient and keep doing the right things. Track your calories and if you can, try to do the breathing test to get your metabolism tested. It's inexpensive and only takes a little time. I discovered that my basal metabolic rate is significantly lower than the average, so the 1200 calorie diet was destined for failure unless I coupled it with huge workouts several days a week. Good luck, and I hope you find a solution. I always recommend tracking your food if you aren't already, because sometimes we do slip into denial about what we're eating. ~Cheri

Yes, yes, yes!! I'm always dry in the winter but it's a billion times worse post op. Now, in all fairness I will admit that I'm in a rough climate so that could be contributing, too. If you think about the fact that my diet was full of fatty fried foods prior to surgery it's not much of a surprise. I exfoliate, use bath salts and lotion up like a pig after bathing. My hands are so bad I wear moisturizing gloves to sleep with a ton of lotion slathered on my hands. I have to use pumice scrubs and a foot file to keep my feet soft, too. It's a real issue, from head to toe! I think I read somewhere that taking Vitamin E or fish oil can help with this, so you might consider that as an option. I just deal with it as best I can with what I can find here. ~Cheri

It's totally normal! Just wait until you're on denser Proteins and you'll discover that you can only eat a few bites. I'm 18 months out and one egg scrambled with cheese or one hardboiled egg can still fill me up. I can only eat about 3 oz. of dense Protein (steak, roast, burger, etc.) and 4-5 oz. of chicken because chicken goes down easier. But if you give me something soft or pureed I can eat an entire cup. So don't fret, you'll be fine. If I ever start to think my capacity is drastically increased I just sit down to a steak dinner. The fact that I can only eat six or so bites wakes me up to the reality of the sleeve in a hurry! ~Cheri

OT, I know, but I, too, love popcorn! I had it around five months out and was fine but yes, I'd wait as long as possible. This is a trigger/slippery slope food for me, though, so if you love it as much as I do be careful! I LOVE popcorn but naturally I want that cherry coke with it so I can have that comforting movie experience I'm used to. The good news is that when I first started eating it I could only eat a few handfuls over the course of the entire movie, and maybe I could get in a few sips of soda, too. The bad news is that around one year out it became possible to eat large quantities of the stuff - in fact, I'd say that this is a total slider food for me and I could eat tons of it without feeling discomfort. Now when I stop it's because I've had enough, but I can/do eat about 2-3 cups of the stuff at a time. I just budget it in to my meal plan. The issue I have is when I stovetop pop it at home, because then I want some every night. I have to budget it out and only make some every other week - so yes, you'll most likely be fine with popcorn (but take it easy on the buttery oil they use at the theater as it can cause, erm, issues) and be able to enjoy it again. Just be conscious of it and don't let it get the best of you! And yes, it was totally weird to see movies without it but I had a diet soda and slowly sipped it and I was fine. My husband opted not to get any because I couldn't partake yet, though, so I may have felt differently if he'd had a big bag of popcorn right next to me. ~Cheri

Sounds great, thanks for sharing. I'll try it this week. I'll try it as written because I'm not nearly as strict about my carbs - besides, I barely eat half of one portion! FYI, I plugged it into myfitnesspal as written calling it a six serving recipe (it could be anywhere from 4-6 with 2 lbs. of chicken and I chose 6 due to my smaller portion size). Using the brand of ingredients I have floating around and without veggies it has 232 calories, 15 grams carbs, 4 grams fat and 30 grams of Protein. Add in some veggies and you'll have extra carbs but if you skip the rice this sounds like a good meal, even in the losing stage. ~Cheri

My cycle causes a gain of about three pounds every stinking month. For me, it's normal. So if you're expecting a monthly visitor, that hag could be the one to blame. I wouldn't fret about it unless you've made a serious change in diet or started a new medication. Maybe try to get as much Water in as possible and lower your sodium if you're concerned. But for me, at least, the journey has had lots of bumps, up and down, instead of a solid string of losses. And on the slower loss? Everyone is different. I consider myself a slower loser. I think my best month ever was my first month and I lost 18 pounds. I never got even remotely close to that figure again. I don't know if you're guilty of this but I think so many of us focus on the amazingly fast losers - the ones that hit goal in 9 months - and we all think we're going to have the same results. I definitely chose to willfully ignore the folks that had four month stalls and who had to fight tooth and nail for a four pound loss each month when I was preparing for my surgery. The good news is that it isn't a race, despite the fact that we're all desperate to reach goal. I hit goal after 17 months and it's fantastic to be here. I don't spend a single day being frustrated that it took me longer to get here than it took someone else! Don't fiddle with your diet too much right now. Your body is still in shock from a major surgery and a huge lifestyle change. You've lost a large amount of weight in a very short period of time. Give yourself a break and just keep following your guidelines. You're going to lose the weight - even if you have stops and starts or ups and downs along the way. ~Cheri

Hey, we ALL get frustrated, it's part of the process. Just keep it in perspective and you're going to do just fine. Unless you start out intentionally doing things to stretch your sleeve (and it'll only stretch so much even then) you're going to lose weight. Maybe not as fast as you like, granted, but it's going to come off. I wanted mine to be gone the day I opted for surgery. It took seventeen long and often frustrating months, but you know what? We don't get medals for getting to goal faster, and it's just as enjoyable to hit goal after one year as it is to hit it in nine months. I can't wait to see your success posts in six months. Because trust me, you're going to be successful. ~Cheri

Well, I'm in Central Asia. The women here are very finely boned and short, as you might imagine in a country that borders on China. Then there are Russian women, who, while taller, are incredibly skinny (though my opinion is that this is more a "fashion" than a genetic trait like the local women). So yes, believe it or not, I have to shop the Turkish plus-size stores to find clothing here! The first time I found out I couldn't just buy regular clothes I was CRUSHED but thankfully my stepdaughter reminded me that my pant size didn't change when I left the house and that the issue was a cultural one and not a deficiency on my part. It was so upsetting, though! I'm saving my money for the full body lift - I'm going whole hog, baby! I'm very seriously considering Dr. Siamak Agha (he's in California). I've been researching several surgeons for more than a year now and I love his eye and how he shapes the body. It's more than just removing skin, it's like he gives a woman back her curves and feminine shape. He's also very experienced with weight loss patients. In any case, whatever doctor I decide to use I'll be doing thighs, tummy and breasts for sure. I don't think I need help with my arms and I'm young enough that my neck isn't doing very badly. I suppose I'll have to get some photos posted. I did post one in my ball gown last November but I've hit goal since then and look a bit smaller. You're doing a great job, coops - keep plugging away. I know that sometimes you have to roll your eyes a bit at the posts griping about slow loss, don't you? I know I do...some folks just don't get that it's not the norm to hit goal in 9 months, do they? I know how frustrating it is, though - for all of us. We all want this weight gone the DAY we opt for surgery, and not a moment later. Take care, lady. I'll post something or other soon. ~Cheri

Woman, you look AMAZING! You've done a fabulous job and let me just say that I am green with envy that your curves are still there! My husband has done nothing but complain about my formerly soft spots going all bony and pointy. It's incredibly difficult for many of us to reconcile what we see in the mirror with what other people see. I'm just over 5'1" started at 242 pounds and I'm down to 135 pounds - I'm a size small/6 from just about any store. And I do not deny that I see an attractive woman when I look in the mirror, but I definitely do NOT see the "skinny" woman everyone else tells me they see. Until I see pictures, it's like my brain forgets that I'm not plus-sized anymore. I can't look at myself in relation to other women and know if they're bigger or smaller than me unless the difference is very pronounced. It's very disconcerting and it can be difficult to deal with - it's even harder to explain to the people around me! They simply do not understand the mental disconnect that happens when you drop a huge amount of weight. In any case, in that, you are definitely not alone. Congrats to you on your success thus far. I'm sure you will continue to do spectacularly well, and I'm sure your slideshow will be inspiration for newbies just starting to consider this fantastic, life-changing surgery. ~Cheri